Below the lodge at Camp Helen State Park, stairs lead down to the spot where the rental kiosk used to hand out single kayaks, tandems and paddleboards for Lake Powell. The lodge dates to the years from 1945 to 1987, when the park was a company resort for employees of Avondale Mills, an Alabama textile company. Since May 13, 2026, there has been nothing to rent here. The park's official page puts it plainly: "Kayaks are not offered for rent at Camp Helen State Park."
That missing rack is easy to read as a small seasonal gap. The paperwork says it's bigger. The state has been taking proposals for a concession that could run five to ten years and covers more than boats. Whoever wins will shape what the park at Inlet Beach's eastern edge offers well into the next decade. The lake itself never closed.
What the state actually put out to bid
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which runs Florida State Parks, posted a call for business plans at Camp Helen State Park. The scope isn't limited to kayaks. It covers "Recreational Equipment Rental, Food and Beverage, Special Event Management and Merchandise Resale."
| Solicitation detail | What the state posted |
|---|---|
| Services in scope | Equipment rental, food and beverage, special events, merchandise |
| County | Bay |
| Mandatory on-site meeting | Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, 9 a.m. CDT, at the park |
| Deadline for questions | 5 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026 |
| Proposal deadline | 5 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026 |
| Contract term | 5 to 10 years |
You had to attend the site meeting to be allowed to submit a proposal. The state's published question-and-answer document says the park has no active concession agreements, so this is a fresh start, not a renewal. As of early October 2026, the call page shows no award and no date for rentals to return.
One local name appears in the record. A representative of 30A Beach Paddle Surf is listed on a concession sign-in sheet the state posted, dated 8/27/2026. A sign-in sheet shows who attended and nothing more. It doesn't show who submitted a proposal or who will be chosen.
Proposals closed four days ago. The term is five to ten years. That means the decision being made right now covers rentals, and possibly food, events and retail, at Camp Helen through the early 2030s at minimum.
The Friends group's version of the same news
The volunteer group most tied to the park puts it more hopefully. On its homepage, the Friends of Camp Helen State Park writes:
Kayaks are temporarily unavailable for rental at this time at Camp Helen State Park. The DEP is currently seeking candidates to operate the kayak business at the park. Thank you for your patience as we plan provide these rentals again very soon.
The Friends' stake is direct. The state's own kayaking page still says rentals were handled through the Friends of Camp Helen, either in person at the park or by reservation on the group's website. That page hasn't caught up with the May notice. Its rental instructions and hours are out of date, and the park page's "not offered for rent" line is the one to go by.
The rental counter was one part of a larger civic role. The Friends of Camp Helen describe themselves as a Citizens Support Organization. Recent projects include the Americana Concert series, Movies & More, a Fall Festival, the Pumpkin Patch, International Coastal Clean-up, and park improvements. Special events and merchandise are both in the new concession's scope. So the contract could change how a professional operator and a volunteer group divide the work at the lodge.
You can see that volunteer side this month. The Friends of Camp Helen State Park Pumpkin Patch runs October 1 through 31, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, and pumpkin and gourd sales benefit the park. In a month without rental income, those gourds are part of how the park's support group raises money.
The lake is open if you bring the boat
Losing the rental counter didn't change who can use Lake Powell, which the state calls the largest coastal dune lake in Florida. Personal kayaks and boards have always been welcome. With the kiosk empty, the routes onto the water look like this:
- Camp Helen's North Trailhead. The park's public kayak launch sits at the North Trail trailhead. It's about 375 feet of hard-surface path from the parking lot to the water, and the park recommends a cart. The park is open 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year. Entry is $4 per vehicle or $2 per pedestrian or cyclist, paid at the honor box, at 23937 Panama City Beach Parkway.
- Bay County's Lake Powell Park. The county lists a boat ramp, parking, picnic areas, a playground and restrooms. It's the option with a real ramp, so it suits anyone who doesn't want to carry a boat 375 feet. Details are on the Bay County facility page.
- Walton County's Lake Powell access at 620 N. Walton Lakeshore Drive. Visit South Walton's beach access list shows this site as a fishing pier, not a boat ramp. It's for a line in the water, not a launch.
- Delivery. 30A Beach Paddle Surf offers single and tandem kayaks and paddleboards, delivered and picked up within 10 miles of Inlet Beach. It also runs SUP yoga at the Lake Powell Public Launch. For a household without its own boats, 30A Beach Paddle Surf currently replaces what the lodge kiosk used to do.
Another rule from the old setup is worth remembering. The park's rental boats were allowed only on Lake Powell, never in the Gulf. Personal craft can be used on both.
Why the outfall matters more in fall than the rental rack
Lake Powell often connects to the Gulf through an outfall. The Friends group says saltwater can enter the lake when the outfall is open, depending on tides and winds, so the water turns brackish and saltwater species mix with freshwater ones. According to the state, common catches for kayak anglers when the outfall is open include redfish, speckled trout, mullet and bass. A Florida fishing license is required.
No source we found gives a 2026 update on whether Phillips Inlet, where the lake meets the Gulf, is currently open or closed. Since the catch depends on it, check conditions at the park before loading the cooler.
The wildlife list doesn't depend on a rental contract. The park says paddlers can look for heron, egret, river otter, osprey and the occasional dolphin, with white-tailed deer on shore. The park also warns that snakes may turn up, so give them plenty of room. The park manager's message describes regular nature hikes, history tours and Friends community events, and points visitors to the lodge, visitor center, trails, beach and outfall, and fishing dock.
What to check before the next paddle
Until the state announces an award, the most reliable steps are simple:
- Rental status. The Camp Helen State Park page carries the current notice at the top. The park's number is 850-233-5059.
- The award. The state's call for business plans page is where the solicitation was posted. It's the first place to look for news on who will run rentals, food, events and merchandise at the park.
- The Friends calendar. The Pumpkin Patch runs through October 31, and the Friends homepage is where the group says it will announce when rentals come back.
A rental counter is a small thing. A five-to-ten-year contract covering food, events and retail at a park with Florida's largest coastal dune lake is not. That contract went from open bids to evaluation on September 30.
If you're weighing how lake access and a park like Camp Helen fit into your plans at the east end of 30A, The Gettings Group follows these details closely and would be glad to talk through what they mean for you. Work With Us.
